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Nisin in Oral Cavity Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OCSCC)

A Phase I/IIa, Single-Arm, Dose-Confirmation and Dose-Expansion Study Evaluating Changes in the Oral Microbiome of Patients With Oral Cavity Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC) After Short-Term Ingestion of Nisin, a Naturally Occurring Food Preservative

Status
Recruiting
Phases
Phase 1Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT06097468
Enrollment
40
Registered
2023-10-24
Start date
2024-02-02
Completion date
2028-10-01
Last updated
2026-04-13

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Oral Cavity Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Keywords

Oral Microbiome, Natural Food Preservative

Brief summary

This is a study of oral nisin administration in patients with OSCC who are undergoing complete surgical resection surgery with or without adjuvant radiation/chemoradiation as part of their routine care at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF).

Detailed description

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES: I. To demonstrate the tolerability of nisin administration, as assessed by the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of nisin (Phase I). II. To demonstrate the feasibility of nisin administration, as assessed by the treatment completion rate (Phase IIa). SECONDARY OBJECTIVES: I. To evaluate the safety of nisin administration, as assessed by the frequency and severity of adverse events (CTCAE v5.0) (Phase I). II. To evaluate externally measured changes in primary and nodal tumor size on intraoral examination from baseline to time of surgery, as assessed by cross-sectional measurement of tumors/ulceration with calipers during dental exam (Phase IIa). III. To evaluate clinical changes in periodontal condition on dental examination over the study period, as assessed according to the American Academy of Periodontology grading system (Phase IIa). EXPLORATORY OBJECTIVES: I. To characterize nisin-induced changes in oral microbiome population structure and function, and nisin sensitivity among key oral bacterial species. II. To characterize inflammatory and anti-tumor cellular responses to nisin in the oral cancer environment. III. To confirm the half-life and urinary excretion profile of nisin (Phase 1). IV. To demonstrate the preliminary efficacy of nisin administration, as assessed by relapse-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) (Phase IIa). OUTLINE: Participants receiving treatment at UCSF will be initially assigned to the Phase 1 dose finding arm. After an interim analysis is completed, enrollment into Phase IIa will begin at the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) or recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D). Participants will be treated for two weeks before planned surgery, complete OSCC resection surgery (standard of care, non-interventional) and will continue treatment for 6 additional months post-surgery. Follow-up will continue for 12 months after surgery.

Interventions

DRUGNisinZ® P

NisinZ® P is an ultrapure Nisin Z concentrate produced by fermentation using the bacterium Lactococcus lactis obtained from sauerkraut

Surgical removal of tumor as part of standard of care treatment

Sponsors

University of California, San Francisco
Lead SponsorOTHER
University of California, Los Angeles
CollaboratorOTHER
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
CollaboratorNIH

Study design

Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
SEQUENTIAL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

1. Participants with a suspected clinical diagnosis of oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) who are planning to undergo a diagnostic biopsy. Note: Subsequent documentation from the medical record (e.g., from the diagnostic biopsy pathology report) of histological or cytological confirmation of OSCC is required prior to enrollment and treatment on study. Participants who do not have a histological/cytological confirmation of OSCC, or who are unable to provide sufficient volume of biopsy tissue for research, will not be eligible to enroll in the study. 2. OSCC mass must be \>= 2cm in size. 3. Non-metastatic OSCC (no distant metastases allowed; metastasis to the neck is eligible). 4. Participants must be planning for a complete OSCC surgical resection, with or without adjuvant radiation/chemoradiation, at UCSF, as part of their routine treatment plan. Surgical resection and adjuvant treatment will be according to the participants routine or standard of care treatment plan and will not be dictated by the study (non-interventional). 5. Age \>= 18 years 6. Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 0, 1, or 2 (Karnofsky ≥ 50%). 7. Participants must be dentate (retaining at least two teeth). Teeth are required for plaque sample collection for correlative studies. 8. Ability to understand and willingness to sign a written informed consent document.

Exclusion criteria

1. Individuals with a history of a known positive human papillomavirus deoxyribonucleic acid ((HPV DNA) test (P16-positive is permitted if HPV DNA test is negative). 2. Individuals with a history of or concurrent oropharyngeal, laryngeal, or hypopharyngeal cancers (other than OSCC). Individuals with any other prior or concurrent malignancy whose natural history or treatment does not have the potential to interfere with the safety or endpoints of this study are eligible. 3. Individuals with ongoing uncorrected oral pathology, which in the opinion of the investigator could interfere with the safety or endpoints of this study or could be exacerbated during the course of study participation, if left untreated. These conditions may be discussed with the study PI to determine eligibility. * Current and ongoing long-term dental treatment requiring major surgery; * Untreated carious lesions, severe oral infections, or known defective restorations; * Other suspicious uncorrected oral pathology. 4. Individuals with a known history of hypersensitivity reactions or oral allergies to nisin, any of its excipients, or any related food preservatives. 5. Individuals with complete inability to absorb nutrients via gastrointestinal tract due to major medical disorder or history of gastrointestinal surgical removal. 6. Individuals who have received extended (\>4 weeks) antibiotic therapy within 1 month of the baseline visit or who currently require continuous antibiotic prophylaxis at the time of enrollment. 7. Individuals who require treatment with a systemic anticancer therapy prior to enrollment, with the exception of prior immunotherapy which is permitted both prior to enrollment and concurrent with study participation. 8. Individuals currently receiving any other investigational agent or using an investigational device intended as anticancer therapy, with the exception of investigational immunotherapy, which is permitted both prior to enrollment and concurrent with study participation. 9. Individuals with ongoing Grade 2 events that are not clinically stable or ongoing \>= Grade 3 events (CTCAE v5.0 grading). 10. Individuals with any condition or social circumstance that, in the opinion of the investigator, would impair the participant's ability to comply with study activities, interfere with participant safety, or study endpoints.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Proportion of participants with dose limiting toxicities (DLT) (Phase I)Up to 6 monthsDose-limiting toxicities (DLTs) are defined in Section 5.2.3. DLT determination will assess adverse events (AEs) graded according to CTCAE v5.0, including findings on physical exam, vital signs, laboratory testing, and spontaneous reports of AEs reported to the investigator by participants. DLT data will be summarized as proportions of participants experiencing DLTs per cohort
Maximum Tolerated Dose / Recommended Phase II Dose (RP2D) (Phase I)Up to 4 weeksThe maximum tolerated dose (MTD) is the highest dose at which no more than one instance of DLT is observed among 6 participants treated. The MTD from Phase I will be the recommended Phase IIa dose (RP2D) for use in Phase IIa.
Proportion of participants completing treatment (Phase II)Up to 6 monthsThe treatment completion rate is defined as the proportion of participants allocated to receive nisin at the RP2D and who complete the full nisin regimen, missing fewer than 30% of doses over the course of the regimen. A full nisin regimen is defined as starting nisin 2 weeks before surgery and continuing for 6 months after surgery.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Incidence of Treatment-emergent adverse events (AE)Up to 8 monthsSafety will be assessed by monitoring adverse events (AEs), including Grade \>=3 intraoral mucositis. AEs will be graded according to NCI Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) version 5.0. AEs will be evaluated up to 60 days after treatment discontinuation.
Mean change in dimensional measurement of ulcerations over timeUp to 6 monthsMean change in cross-sectional, dimensional measurement of tumors/ulcerations from baseline to post-surgery will be measured with calipers during a dental exam and reported by cohort.
Proportion of participants with changes in periodontal pocket depthUp to 6 monthsClinical changes in periodontal pocket depth on dental examination over the study period will be assessed according to the American Academy of Periodontology grading system.
Proportion of participants with changes in periodontal clinical detachment lossUp to 6 monthsClinical changes in clinical detachment loss on dental examination over the study period will be assessed according to the American Academy of Periodontology grading system.
Proportion of participants with changes in periodontal bleedingUp to 6 monthsClinical changes in bleeding upon probing at 6 sites per tooth on dental examination over the study period will be assessed according to the American Academy of Periodontology grading system.

Countries

United States

Contacts

CONTACTNarimane Badawi
Narimane.Badawi@ucsf.edu(415) 866-7594
PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATORSue Yom, MD

University of California, San Francisco

PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATORYvonne Kapila, MD

University of California, Los Angeles

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Apr 14, 2026